Derail and signal unit



June 23, 1970 HAYES DERAIL AND SIGNAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April22, 1968 IN VEN TOR BR/CE E. HA YES 4 Horneys June 23, 1970 B. E. HAYESDERAIL AND SIGNAL UNIT 2 m e C h 4 s ,V t r e e h S 2 2.. E 2 L. 2 1 MW4 8 4 2 I m: 2 .J 2 I 4M 7 W O I Zil w "M m 8 O l 4 1 I G 2 I n F r M de l 1 F III INVEN TOR BR/CE E. HA YES Afforneys United States PatentOffice 3,517,186 Patented June 23, 1970 U.S. Cl. 246-163 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A railway appliance includes a derail and ablue flag signal forming a convenient, compact, self-contained unit. Ahinged derail includes a base fixed to the roadbed and a derail blockhinged to the base and having a derail shoe movable through an arcuatepath between derailing and inactive positions. A blue flag signalincluding a staff and a sign is pivotally mounted on the base formovement in dependently of the derail block between signalling andinactive positions. Both the derail and the blue fiag may be used alone,each being movable to its active position while the other remains in theinactive position. An interlocking feature is provided because thesignal in its signalling position prevents movement of the derail fromthe derailing position. The signal is mounted to the base by a pin andslot connection, and the staff is releasably received in a latchingrecess in the signalling position.

The present invention relates to a safety appliance for railroads, andmore particularly to a novel derail and blue flag signal unit.

Derails and blue flag signals are each safety devices widely used onrailroads. A derail is a device placed on a track rail for derailing andthus effectively stopping a car or train which runs into the derail. Forexample, derails are used to protect a main line by preventing cars fromentering the main line from a siding. A blue flag is a signal used on arailroad track, usually to protect humans or equipment on or about thetrack, and serves as a warning that the track must not be entered andthat equipment on the track must not be coupled to or moved. A blue flagsignal is customarily displayed above and between or beside the trackrails, and normally comprises a flag or a sign having a blue color.

Situations where blue flags are used are often critical from a safetystandpoint. For example, blue flag signals are used on track where carsare being loaded or unloaded, repaired, inspected and the like. It hasbeen proposed to use both a blue flag and a derail in such situations sothat the track is protected even if the blue flag is unheeded.

An important object of the present invention is to provide improvementsin track safety equipment, and more particularly to provide a novelrailway appliance including a derail having a blue flag permanentlyassociated therewith so that their conjoint use is encouraged.

Another object is to provide a derail and blue flag in a self-containedunit and to provide such a unit in which either the blue flag or thederail may be used alone.

A further object is to provide an improved blue flag and derail unitwherein if the blue flag is in the signalling position, the derailcannot be moved off the rail.

Another object is to provide a derail including a blue flag signal whichis releasably detained in its signalling position.

Briefly, the above and other objects of the invention are realized inone embodiment of the invention by the provision of an applianceincluding a derail and a blue flag signal forming a self-contained unit.A hinged derail includes a base adapted to be attached to the roadbedand a derail block hinged to the base having a derail shoe movablebetween on rail and off rail positions. In accordance with a feature ofthe invention, a blue flag signal is also supported on the base formovement independently of the derail block between standby andsignalling positions. The blue flag or the derail can be used alonesince either can be moved to its operating position while the otherremains in its inactive position. A safety interlock feature is providedin that when the blue flag is in its signalling position, the derailcannot be moved from its on rail to its off rail position. In addition,a novel arrangement is provided for releasably holding the blue flag inits signalling position.

The invention and its objects and advantages may be better understoodfrom the following detailed description wherein reference is made to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a derail and signal unit constructed inaccordance with the invention and illustrated with the derail in the offrail position and with the signal in the standby position;

FIG. 2 is an elevational end view of the unit;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the derail and signal in theiralternate positions;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the unit as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along the line55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along the line66 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a novel railwayappliance in the form of a derail and signal unit constructed inaccordance with the principles of the invention and designated as awhole by the reference numeral 10. The unit 10 is mounted in place on atrack including crossties C and rails R, only one of which isillustrated in the drawings. The unit 10 serves to protect the track,and in accordance with the invention includes both a derail generallydesignated as 12 and a blue flag signal generally designated as 14combined into a convenient, compact, self-contained unit.

The derail 12 for the most part may be of known construction andincludes a derailshoe 16 movable between an off rail or closed position(FIGS. 1 and 2) in which the track is unobstructed and an on rail oropen position (FIGS. 3 and 4) in which the shoe 16 guides a wheel movingalong the rail off the rail onto the roadbed in order to halt a train orcar.

In order to mount the derail 12 in a fixed position along the rail R,the derail includes a fixed supporting or base structure including aplate 18 attached to adjacent crossties C by spikes 20, as well as aplate 22 abutting the web of the rail R. A pair of vertically disposedmembers 24 support a hinge shaft 26 permitting movement of the derailshoe 16 between positions.

The derail shoe 16 forms part of a movable structure or derail block 28including a pair of hinge plates 30 engaging the shaft 26. The shoe 16is fastened to the outer most end of the hinge plates 30, so that whenthe block 28 is pivoted from its inactive, off rail position illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2, the shoe 16 rests upon the upper surface of the ballof rail R in derailing position.

Although the invention is illustrated in connection with the unit 10including the hinged derail 12, it should be understood that other typesof derails could be used, as will be readily understood by those skilledin the art. For example, a sliding derail of the type wherein the derailblock slides rather than pivots on the base could be used.

In accordance with the present invention, the signal 14 is associatedwith the derail 12 to form a compact, selfcontained unit. The signal 14includes a sign or panel 32, preferably blue in color, mounted on theend of a staff 34. The sign may carry a legend in contrasting color if 3desired. The staff 34 is supported for pivotal movement on the base ofthe derail for movement of the signal 14 between a standby or inactiveposition illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a signalling or upstandingposition illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the panel 32 isconspicuously disposed above and between the rails.

The combination of the derail 12 and blue flag signal 14 providesimportant advantages when the unit is used to protect a track. When thesignal 14 is in the signalling position and the derail 12 is in thederailing position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, workers or equipment onthe track are safeguarded not only by the warning provided by the blueflag signal, but also by the fact that the derail prevents entry ontothe track if the signal is not effective. Since both the signal and thederail are associated together in the unit 10, the blue flag signalcannot be lost or forgotten and the use of both elements simultaneouslyis encouraged.

One feature of the invention resides in the fact that either the derailor the blue flag signal can be used alone. In some situations, it may bedesired to use the blue flag signal without the derail. When the derailis in its inactive closed or off rail position, the staff 34 and sign 32can be pivoted to the signalling position Without movement of orinterference by the derail. Conversely, it may be desired to use thederail 12 without the blue flag signal 14. When the signal is in itsstandby position, the derail block 28 may be moved between positionswithout the necessity of moving the signal 14.

In many cases, it is desirable that the signal and the derail be usedtogether. In accordance with one important feature of the invention,there is provided an interlocking action between the signal and thederail for assuring that the derail is not moved off of the rail Whilethe signal remains up. Accordingly, when the signal 14 is in theupstanding or signalling position, the staff 34 intersects the arcuatepath of movement through which the derail shoe 16 moves between the onrail and off rail positions. As a result, when the signal is in itsupstanding signalling position, the derail cannot be moved between itspositions. Due to this interlocking feature, a track worker cannotremove the derail from its derailing position without first lowering theblue flag signal.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, there is provideda signal mounting assembly generally designated as 36 for pivotally orrotationally supporting the staff 34 and sign 32 on the derail 12. Themounting assembly 36 serves releasably to hold the signal in itsupstanding or signalling position so that it cannot accidentally beknocked or blown down. In addition, the

mounting assembly 36 suspends the signal in an unobtrusive position overthe roadbed in its standby or inactive position.

More specifically, the staff 34 is interconnected to the plate 18 of thederail base by a pin and slot connection permitting the staff both topivot and to reciprocate vertically with respect to the base. A pivotpin 38 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is supported by a bracket 40 attached to thestaff 34 near its base. The staff is supported between a pair of pivotplates 42 supported on a base plate 44 attached to the plate 18. A pairof opposed slots 46 in the plates 42 receive the pin 38 so that thestaff can pivot with respect to the derail base, and can also be movedaxially in the direction of the slots.

When the signal 14 is moved to its upstanding signalling position asshown in full lines in FIGS. 5 and 6, the force of gravity moves thestaff downwardly until its lower-most end rests upon plate 44. In thisposition, the staff is held in a latching recess defined between a pairof abutment members 48. The abutments 48 prevent the signal from beingpivoted away from the signalling position until such time as the signalis lifted. Thus the signal cannot be accidentally lowered and cannot beblown down. In addition, the fact that the signal is releasably 4latched in its signalling position increases the effectiveness of theinterlocking action described above.

Lowering of the signal to its inactive position can only be accomplishedby first raising the staff 34 clear of the abutments 48. The staff canthen be pivoted downwardly to the standby position shown in broken linesin FIGS. 5 and 6. In this position the staff rests upon an abutmentmember 50, and the signal is suspended in an unobtrusive, generallyhorizontal position over the grade level of the roadbed and between therails.

While the present invention has been described in connection withdetails of a certain embodiment thereof, many other modifications andembodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. The invention isnot limited to such details except as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A railway appliance for use in track and comprising:

a base adapted to be fixed in position to the track road- 1 and aninactive position wherein said derail shoe is.

laterally spaced from the track rail;

a signal staff including signal means located adjacent a first end ofthe staff; and

second pivotal mounting means pivotally interconnecting the second endof said staff and said base for pivotal movement of said signal meansthrough an are lying in a substantially vertical plane generallyparallel to the track rail between standby and signalling positions;

said staff and signalling means in said standby position beingsubstantially horizontally oriented and closely overlying said trackroadbed and permitting free pivotal movement of said derail support andderail shoe; and

said staff and signal means in said signalling position beingsubstantially vertically oriented and lying in the arc of pivotalmovement of said derailing struc-. i

ture thereby to prevent movement of said derail shoe between positionsonly while said staff and signalling means are in said signallingposition. 2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein said signal comprises ablue flag signal.

3. The appliance of claim 1, retaining means engagei able with saidstaff in said signalling position for releasably holding said signal.

4. The appliance of claim 3, said retaining means comprising meansconnected between said signal and said base and permitting said signalto be moved downwardly in said signalling position, and means defining arecess for receiving said signal upon such downward movement for holdingsaid signal until it is lifted from said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 817,518 4/ 1906 Roach 246163874,490 12/1907 Clegg et al. 246-163 904,081 11/1908 Palmer a- 232-34 X1,204,837 11/1916 Allfree et al. 246163 1,287,214 12/1918 Buell 246l63ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner G. H. LIBMAN, Assistant Examiner

